Our Staff

Meet the Team

​We'd love to introduce you to some of the staff that make Argo the fantastic facility it is.

Dayna Atkinson

​My name is Dayna and I’m the Manager of Argo Trust.

I have managed Argo for 15 years and it is both a pleasure & an honour to be able to work alongside the residents of the Trust, their families and our amazing, talented team of staff.

I have worked in the disability sector for over 30 years and my true passion is the rights of people who have disabilities to live meaningful lives. No matter the disability, I believe people who have disabilities are an integral and important part of our communities and should always be treated with dignity, respect and assisted to be contributing members of society.

Argo Trust lives and practices this philosophy every day by supporting the residents to enjoy their lives - by having meaningful activities and opportunities that are community based and to live and thrive in a beautiful, caring and fully supported environment.

Sarah Black

​My name is Sarah and I am the Office Administrator at The Argo Trust.

I have been working at Argo for approximately four years, initially as a volunteer and then working shifts ‘in house’ which means I assisted our residents to lead enriched, fulfilling lives in a flatting situation. For just over a year I have been the Office Administrator.

My role here at Argo is at times challenging but always rewarding.

The thing I love most about Argo is the unconditional care and compassion shown by all of the amazing staff to our six residents. Our residents, all of which are people with varying disabilities bring happiness to me each day, their different personalities and characters bring much laughter and fun to me on a daily basis.​I am proud of Argo, our residents and our staff. I am proud to say that I work at Argo.

Valeska Catalan

Hi, I’m Valeska and I'm the Vocational Team Leader here at Argo.

I’ve been at Argo now for 5 years and am loving it! During this time, I have had some really great experiences and gained so many insights into how the disability sector operates.​I originally came to this beautiful country from Chile. I have developed a deep appreciation for the work that Argo does and am committed to ensuring that each of the residents lives life to their fullest potential.

​During my time at Argo I have developed the vocational day time activity program for the residents.

​I have a firm guiding belief that caring for others is not just about taking care of each resident’s physical needs but also ensuring that they gain a sense of community and lead a happy and healthy social life.​I am grateful to be involved with an organisation that has such a high commitment to ensuring the happiness and well-being of people.

Carlos Arenas

My name is Carlos Arenas and I come from a beautiful far away land called Chile.

Chile is characterised for being surrounded by the Andes Mountains on the east and the Pacific Ocean all along the west border. The hardest thing about being overseas is being away from your family, however, at “Argo Trust” I have found wonderful people to support me and I can call this place “my second home”.

I have been part of the “Argo Trust” family for over 2 years, working as a Support Person, Quality Coordinator and the Health and Safety officer, making sure to minimise hazards and ensure a safe environment for the residents and the team.

We deliver the best level of care to the Argo residents with profound disabilities, ensuring they take part in the community and experience the best life possible.

Cenoy Varghese

Hey! I’m Cenoy Varghese, and I’m from India.

I have been working at Argo for the past 3 and a half years. I started as a part-time staff member - back then, I was a student.

My experience working at Argo was amazing. I quickly forged a close bond with both staff and residents.

Now, I work at Argo full-time, and it continues to be a marvellous adventure!

Argo is not just an institution, it’s a close-knit family, and I feel honoured to be a part of this family.

Maria Cristina Lim

​Hi there, my name is Maria Cristina Lim and I am from the Philippines.

I began at Argo in February of 2017 while I was studying.

I work in the residential service and my time here has been fantastic as the culture in Argo was beyond my expectations.

​It is a privilege to work with the team here that supports the residents amazing lifestyle.

Kieran McCormick

My name is Kieran McCormick.

I came to Argo at the beginning of 2017 and worked part time initially while I was studying.

​I fell in love with the family culture and decided to continue on being a part of both the vocational and house services.

We provide a great balance between going on adventures with the residents and helping to maintain the homeliness at Argo.

Binita Rai

Hi there, My name is Binita Rai.

I came from Nepal and have been at Argo for 4 and a half years.

I really enjoy helping to provide an active and fun lifestyle for the residents.

​The relationship that I have built with the residents and the staff feels much like a family.

​I always feel supported by the management.

Gareth Hansen

I have been involved in the disability care field since my childhood as my older brother has a profound disability and my parents are nurses.​I’ve worked at Argo since 2001 and I have studied and worked in Biochemistry, Massage Therapies, Music Therapy and Physiotherapy.

Claudio Retamal

Hola! I am part of the amazing Club team which works Monday to Friday to assist our amazing residents in different activities at home and around windy Wellington.

​My name is Claudio and I am from Chile.

Tho Vo

Hi, my name's Tho. I am from Vietnam. It is my pleasure to be part of the Argo house.

​I started the job without any experience, but have been impressed with the philosophy of the house to get all residents meaningfully integrated into the community.

Thanks to my friendly and helpful co-workers, I have been learning a lot of amazing things, especially how to create quality time for people with a disability.

I have found myself inspired in the job and have been enjoying working with the residents.

I hope that I am able to add some value to the organisation. Many thanks for having me at Argo.

Katie Grantham

Hello! My name's Katie, and I'm proud to call Argo my place of work. I was working at Argo for two years, spent one year away to travel then was fortunate enough to be welcomed back with open arms in September 2017.

As well as working in-house at Argo in the mornings and evenings, I also have a role as Quality Coordinator. This role allows a more in-depth analysis on the inner workings of Argo and Audit preparation - to assist in maintaining The Argo Trust's reputation of high standard that it is so well known for. ​I love working with people that can support, encourage and grow together, to ensure the best life possible for the amazing group of people we support and advocate for.

Lucinda Staniland

​My name is Lucinda and I am from the South Island of New Zealand.

I work part-time at Argo as part of the Residential Team. It fits well with my other job, which is freelance editing and writing.

I love how active and engaging my role at Argo is. Connecting with the residents and assisting them to lead full and meaningful lives is one of the most fulfilling parts of my life.

Sian Allen

Hi! My name Sian and I just started working at Argo in 2018.

​I’m also a full-time student at Victoria University, while also working at another catering job. I enjoy coming to Argo to be with the residents and other staff members a couple of evenings a week.

I have enjoyed getting to know everyone, learn a whole range of new skills and I am constantly amazed by all the cool things we get to do here!

Molly Harington

​I’m Molly and I started working at Argo at the beginning of 2018.

I was drawn here by the desire to work for and with great people; and haven’t been disappointed by my experience so far.

I’m originally from the Waikato and recently finished study, and I am enjoying what is hopefully the transition to a fulfilling career.